Members
Select a Sly & Robbie band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.
About
Sly & Robbie are a legendary Jamaican musical duo known for their groundbreaking contributions to genres such as reggae, dub, ragga, lovers rock, roots reggae, and rocksteady. Formed in 1975, the group comprises drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare. Both members were already established figures in the Jamaican music scene before joining forces, and together they have played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of modern reggae and beyond. Sly & Robbie have collaborated with an impressive array of artists across various musical styles, from Jamaican icons to international rock and pop stars, making them a cornerstone in the music industry.
How to Sound Like Sly & Robbie
Sly & Robbie's sound is characterized by a tight, rhythmic groove that blends the deep, pulsating bass lines of Robbie Shakespeare with the precise, dynamic drumming of Sly Dunbar. This rhythmic foundation is often complemented by rich layers of dub effects, creating a sound that is both hypnotic and dance-inducing. The duo's music typically features warm, resonant bass tones, which Robbie achieves using instruments like the Fender Jazz Bass and PRS Grainger 4 string bass, amplified through gear such as the Markbass SA450. Sly's drumming provides a steady, intricate backbone, utilizing crisp snare hits and syncopated hi-hat patterns that are essential to their sound. Together, these elements create a powerful and timeless audio experience that is both innovative and deeply rooted in the traditions of reggae music.
Discography
Hordcore Dub
1978
Sly & Robbie present Taxi
1980
The Unmetered Taxi
1980
Crucial Reggae
1982
Jah Jah Man
1982
Yabby U Meets Sly & Robbie Along With Tommy McCook Cornfed
1982
Sly & Robby Turbo Charge
1983
Raiders of the lost dub
1983
Sly & Robbie Present Sound of Taxi Vol 1
1984
Sly & Robbie Present Sound of Taxi Vol 2
1985
Sly & Robbie Present Sounds of Taxi Vol 3
1985
Club Play - Taxi High Power
1986
The Sting
1986
Taxi Fare
1986
Electro Reggae
1986
Level the Vibes - Deluxe Edition
1987
Sly & Robbie: The Summit
1988
Taxi Presents Sound of the 90's
1989
Down In Jamaica
1990
Sly & Robbie - Rhythm Killers
1990
Sly & Robbie Present DJ Riot
1990
Sly & Robbie Hits 1978-1990
1991
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol. 1
1991
Ragga Pon Top
1991
Many Moods of Sly, Robbie & The Taxi Gang
1991
Carib Soul
1991
Sly & Robbie present Taxi Christmas
1991
Power Matic Dance Hall Vol1.
1992
Remember Precious Times
1992
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 6
1992
Sly & Robbie Present Sound of Sound
1992
Sly & Robbie Present The Punishers
1993
Sound Of Sound Vol2
1993
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 9
1993
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 2
1993
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 7
1993
Overdrive in Overdub
1993
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 3
1994
Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 3
1995
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 4
1995
Sly & Robbie Present Dancehall Hits, Vol 5
1995
Sly & Robbie present Hail Up The Taxi
1995
30 Years of Dub Music on the Go, Vol. 2
1995
Present The Taxi Gang - Hail Up The Taxi
1995
Blazing Horns In Dub
1995
Friends Singles
1997
Mambo Taxi
1997
Taxi Singles 1
1998
Hail Up Taxi 2
1999
La Trenggae
1999
Money Dub
1999
Drum & Bass Strip To The Bone By Howie B
1999
Sly & Robbie present Dancehall Killers!
2000
Monty Meets Sly And Robbie
2000
Dub Fire
2001
Massive
2001
The Wonderful Sound of Lovers Rock
2001
Riddim Driven Tabla
2002
Version Born
2004
Live 86 Vol 1 = Taxi Gang - Ini Kamoze
2005
Taxi Singles 2
2005
Live 86 Vol 2 = Half Pint & Yellow Man
2005
Hail Up Taxi 3
2005
Dub 93
2005
Champion Bubbler
2006
Feel The Beat Dub
2006
Horace Andy Dubbin' It Up
2006
Livin' It Up
2006
Usuals Suspects
2006
Gamblers Choice
2006
Rebel Soldier
2006
The Sixties+Seventies+Eighties=TAXI=Sly & Robbie
2006
Sly & Robbie Greets Led Zeppelin
2007
Master of Ceremony "Dub"
2007
AMAZING
2008
Break Beat Series : Vol. 3, 20 Bass Riffs & Drum Drops
2008
Inspiration Information
2008
Sly & Robbie Present Taxi 08 09
2009
Syncopation
2009
J PARADISE
2009
Sly & Robbie Present Anniversary
2009
Sly & Robbie Present More Baltimore
2009
Sly & Robbie Present Beenie Bounty
2009
Sly & Robbie Present Taxi Trio (Dennis Brown Sugar Minott Gregory Isaacs)
2009
Made in Jamaica
2010
Jラヴァーズ
2010
Jamaican Legends Live in Tokyo
2011
Reggae Icons
2011
Meet Aggrovators & Revolutionaries
2011
Jackpot Presents Sly & Robbie
2011
Jackpot Presents Sly & Robbie Meet Bunny Lee at Dubstation
2011
Dirty Taxi
2012
Sound Box Essentials Platinum Edition
2012
Beenie/Bounty
2012
Friends
2012
Hail Up The Taxi
2012
Rhythm Doubles
2012
Cover Best Vol. 1
2013
Rock 'n' Reggae
2013
Gangsta Sex and Love
2013
Cover Best Vol 2
2013
Stepper Takes The Taxi
2013
Reggae Connection
2013
At Dub Station
2013
Johnny Osbourne + Sly & Robbie (Live In Tokyo Japan)
2014
Sly & Robbie = Live 86
2014
Sly & Robbie Present Dubmaster Voyage
2014
Sly & Robbie + Groucho Smykle - Dubrising
2014
The Way
2015
The Reggae Power
2015
The Reggae Power 2
2015
Sly & Robbie Free Dub
2015
Reggae for Her (Sly & Robbie Presents Devin Di Dakta and JL)
2016
Delroy Wilson Meets Sly & Robbie Downtown
2016
Dennis Brown Riddims
2016
One Fine Dub
2016
Sly & Robbie Revisit Bob Marley
2017
The Aggrovators present Alcapone V Sly & Robbie
2017
Dubocalypse
2017
The Aggrovators Present Sly & Robbie
2017
Junior Natural + Sly & Robbie: Militant
2017
Sly & Robbie Presents: Bad
2017
Sly & Robbie's Book of Dubelation
2018
Nordub (feat. Eivind Aarset & Vladislav Delay)
2018
Militant Dub
2018
Tough Aggrovators
2018
Love Restart (Deluxe Edition)
2018
Magic
2018
Sly & Robbie Present: Gregory Isaacs in Dub
2019
The Final Battle (Sly & Robbie vs. Roots Radics)
2019
Kids Reggae (Sing-Along Bible Songs)
2019
Sly & Robbie Dub Serge
2019
The Final Battle: Sly & Robbie vs Roots Radics (Deluxe Edition)
2020
Red Hills Road
2021
Remember Our Creator
2021
Fox Dubs: Remember Our Creator
2021
Sly & Robbie vs. Roots Radics: The Dub Battle
2021
A Tribute To King Tubby
2021
Forward
2023
Dub Masters
2023
Top Ranking
2024
Dartanyan vs Johnny Osbourne + Sly & Robbie (Live Dubwise)
2025
Dub25
2025
Changing for You
2025
Get the Sly & Robbie Sound
Want to sound like Sly & Robbie? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.
